


Happy Christmas

by Maplehelicopter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas, Christmas Eve, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Full Moon, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Transformation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-18
Updated: 2016-01-18
Packaged: 2018-05-14 16:33:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5750290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maplehelicopter/pseuds/Maplehelicopter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The full moon is definitely not Remus Lupin's favourite time of the month. It's especially not his favourite when it happens to fall on Christmas Day.</p>
<p>An AU inspired by the fact that 2015 marked the first full moon on Christmas since 1977. 1977 just happened to be Remus' final year at Hogwarts and 2015 would make Teddy Lupin 17 years old.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the rt_morelove (http://rt-morelove.livejournal.com/) community on Livejournal for the 2015 Twelfth Night Tales fic challenge.

The full moon was the proverbial monkey on Remus Lupin's back and after fifty years of grumblings about it interrupting birthdays and celebrations and all manner of other events, there was still no making peace with it. Sometimes, he just had to borrow a phrase from his wife and declare that it was simply “total and absolute troll shite”. 

This moon was one of those labelled with the dubious honour. It was difficult to fathom that 38 years had passed since the last time there'd been a full moon on Christmas. The last time, he'd spent a quiet holiday with his parents during his final year at Hogwarts. He'd been seventeen years old and full of nerves about his impending graduation and the increasingly violent war brewing. He'd opened his gifts mid-morning and spent the rest of the day reading in bed before his father had accompanied him to the back garden and locked his son inside the old root cellar. It was New Year's before Remus had felt like himself again.

Today he was fifty five years old and sprawled in a chair in the Weasley's living room with a pounding headache and a secret desire to be home in bed. Though a steady supply of Wolfsbane made the transformations less anxiety-ridden, the potion didn't reduce the physical strain of the process. Christmas Eve was meant to be a time for fun and family and best of all- Molly Weasley's Christmas Eve feast. This year he'd barely made it through dinner, managing a few bites of roast beef and pudding before switching to a small helping of mashed potatoes. A twisting, morphing stomach was easier to manage when it wasn't stuffed full.

“Dad?”

He looked up, startled to find his son standing across from him with an expectant look on his face. 

“Hiya, Ted,” Remus replied with a wan smile. “Having fun?”

Teddy smiled back and shrugged.

“Yeah, I guess. I was teaching Albus and Rose a different version of Gobstones.”

“That's kind of you,” Remus said with a glance at his wristwatch. It was only half past seven. “Where's your mum?”

“In the kitchen helping Molly with desserts. She asked me to ask you if you want some tea?”

“That'd be nice. I'll get it though; go on and enjoy yourself. Bill mentioned he's been working with Victoire on her chess game. I bet Arthur would let you borrow their board if you two want to play.”

A slight flush spread across Teddy's cheeks at the mention of Victoire, but Remus made no mention of it.

“No, you sit, da. I'll fetch the tea,” Teddy insisted.

Remus' joints were secretly relieved to stay cradled in the large armchair. 

Just as Teddy disappeared back into the kitchen, a stampede of feet charged into the sitting room led by Ron and Hermione's ten year old son Hugo Weasley. Behind him, Bill and Fleur's youngest son Louis toddled along with Lily Potter as his guide. Roxanne Weasley, Fred and Angelina's daughter, was last into the room and was singing “God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs” as loudly as she possibly could.

Though Remus' headache pounded more viciously at the introduction of their childish glee, the song always made him smile with the memory of Sirius' own renditions at Grimmauld Place. 

Louis, barely three years old, threw himself against Remus' legs and managed to scramble up into the man's lap. Remus sat the boy on his knee and ran a hand through the strawberry blonde curls. 

Just then, Teddy reentered with a steaming mug in hand.

“Oh, I see,” he joked, watching his father play with Louis' hair. “Do you like that more than blue?”

He concentrated for a moment before his hair shimmered and turned into soft reddish waves. Louis giggled with delight at the spectacle.

Ted deposited the mug of tea on the table at his father's side and scooped Louis up in his arms.

“C'mon you lot. Who wants dessert?”

The children cried out with eager voices and clambered to reach the kitchen, leaving Remus alone again. He sat only a short while nursing the mug of tea before Tonks stuck her head in.

“Just making sure you were still awake in here,” she teased. 

“Barely, but yes,” Remus confirmed.

“We'll get going soon,” she assured him, circling around to the back of the armchair and pressing her knuckles into the tender muscles of his shoulders. He wilted at the touch and tucked his chin down to allow her further access to the achy spots.

“It's okay,” he said. “I can go and you two can enjoy the rest of the evening.”

“Nonsense,” she said, digging a thumb into the hollow at the base of his skull and eliciting a moan from him. “Home so I can tuck you in and finish some wrapping.”

“I don't know how much I'll be good for tomorrow,” he admitted, his voice growing softer. 

“Doesn't matter,” she assured him. “Whenever you get up, we can do stockings and gifts. And if you want to spend the rest of the day in bed, you can. It'll be a low-key Christmas.”

“Troll shite,” he murmered.

“I know. But we'll make do.”

He made a soft sound of agreement.

“D'want a biscuit?” she asked. “Molly made some plain sugar ones. There's chocolate ones too.”

His stomach grumbled a little at the thought.

“Maybe one chocolate one,” he said with a smile, taking up one of the hands massaging his neck and gathering it in his own. He pressed a kiss to her knuckles and held the soft, warm fingers to his cheek for a moment before letting go.

“I knew you couldn't refuse Molly's homemade biscuits,” Tonks said with a laugh. “She's going to make us up a tin to take home so you can eat more when you're feeling well again.”

She circled the chair and extended her hands to help Remus to his feet. They went into the noisy kitchen where the children and adults alike were gathered around the Burrow's massive table, munching on an impressive spread of biscuits, cakes, and other treats. 

Bill Weasley gave Remus a clap on the shoulder as he passed and offered up the plate of biscuits to the couple. Remus selected a small star-shaped one with the points dipped in rich Honeyduke's chocolate while Tonks made straight for the shortbread. 

“Are we heading home then?” Teddy asked as he sided up to his parents.

“In a minute,” Tonks replied, reaching up to ruffle her teenage son's hair (now restored to its normal turquoise blue). “Be a dear and fetch our coats from the closet.”

“Nonsense,” Molly interrupted. “Let one of us fetch them. Ron, will you get the Lupins' coats?”  
Ron looked up from a plate full of bundt cake with the same beleaguered expression he'd worn as a teenager at the beck and call of his mum. With a sigh, he left the treats in the care of Hermione and went in search of the coats.

Remus nibbled his biscuit and finished off his mug of tea, stopping to deposit the mug back in the cupboard after a cleaning spell. He paused at the kitchen window, looking out across the heath where the nearly full moon hung and he felt his muscles strain with the pull of his old familiar timekeeper. Another lunar cycle come and nearly gone.

“Found your coat, dear,” a voice said behind him. Molly Weasley was holding up his herringbone-print wool coat and scarf. He took it from her with a word of thanks and tugged it on.

“Happy Christmas, Remus,” she said, pulling the man into a hug. 

“Same to you, Molly,” he said. “Thank you for dinner.”

“I'm just sorry you couldn't have more of it. I packed up some leftovers for later in the week so you can enjoy it.”

“That's kind of you,” he replied. “Thanks. Enjoy the day tomorrow.”

He made his rounds, shaking hands and accepting hugs before he met with Tonks and Teddy at the door.

The three went out into the blustery winter night and Apparated home (Tonks taking Teddy via side-along, because although Teddy was old enough to qualify for his license, he had not yet mastered long distances fully). They arrived outside the family cottage in Yorkshire and scrambled inside out of the cold, kicking snow from their shoes in the front foyer.

“I'm going to go have a wash and then call it a night,” Remus said to Tonks as she hung up their coats. “Happy Christmas Eve, love.”

She turned and kissed him briefly.

“I'll be in as soon as I'm finished with the last few things to be wrapped.”

“G'night, da,” Teddy said, hugging his father. “See you in the morning.”

“Aye,” Remus replied. “Wake me up if I'm taking too long to get to the presents.” 

He showered and changed into pyjamas before crawling under the comforting weight of his quilts. Sleep took him long before Tonks joined him for the night and he was still asleep when the morning light began to peek through the gap in the bedroom curtains.

When he finally woke, it was past ten. His body ached all over with the impeding transformation and his stomach churned uncomfortably. Scrubbing a hand across his face, he sat up in bed to find a new flannel dressing gown draped across the foot of the bed along with a pair of thick woollen socks. He put them on slowly, careful not to upset his aching limbs, and trudged down the hall towards the living room. 

Music was playing quietly from the wireless and a fire was blazing in the hearth. Remus recognized the song as 'I'll Be Home for Christmas', a Muggle standard much beloved in the Wizarding world as well. Several dozen candles dotted the room, lighting it with a soft amber glow. Teddy was stretched out on the sofa with a book and Tonks was sitting at the end with her son's feet on her lap, reading the Daily Prophet. She looked up at the sound of Remus quietly clearing his throat and smiled.

“G'morning, sweetheart. Happy Christmas.”

“Morning,” he replied hoarsely, trying not to yawn. 

“Come sit. I'll fetch tea.”

Remus obeyed, sinking into his well-loved armchair and reaching over to give Teddy's arm a squeeze.

“Good morning, you. Happy Christmas.”

“Happy Christmas, Da,” Teddy replied, shutting his book and looking over at his dad. “Feeling alright?”

“I'm fine, Ted, thanks.”

“Do you want a heat charm on a pillow or anything?” he asked. “Blanket?”

Remus smiled and patted his son's arm again.

“No, thanks. I'm alright. Happy to be here with you two. Now go fetch those stockings from the mantle. I can't believe you two haven't ripped them open by now.”

Teddy grinned and went to get the gifts. He set his mum's on the sofa and handed over Remus'. 

“We didn't even peek. I promise.”

“Here's tea and your potion,” Tonks said, returning with a tray and settling it on the end table beside Remus' chair. “And some dry toast if you want it.”

“Ta, love. Go on, Teddy. Open yours.”

Remus gulped down his last dosing of Wolfsbane before moving to the far more palette-pleasing tea. He sipped slowly at it while Teddy tore into his stocking, happily trying on his new hat in Hufflepuff black and gold before passing around an offering of sweets. In Remus' own parcel he found a new pair of soft brown mittens, a bar of dark chocolate, a new tin of his favourite tea blend, and some muscle rub that always came in handy after the moon. He watched as Tonks opened her own, finding a bright purple hat, a package of her favourite Peppermint Toads, and a new set of rune stones. 

They exchanged gifts and quiet laughter and an abundance of love. Remus migrated to Teddy's spot on the sofa eventually, stretched out under a knit afghan gifted a few years back by Molly Weasley. Teddy sat on the floor by Remus' side, teaching his new chess set some tactical moves and choice language that Remus pretended not to hear. Tonks was sitting in Remus' chair, legs crossed and eyes closed as she swayed to music inaudible to the two men. Remus had given her an enchanted pair of earphones that played all of her favourite songs and several new selections he'd decided she'd enjoy.

When the late afternoon sky began to turn orange with the glow of the day's end, Tonks gently roused Remus from his nap on the couch. He opened his eyes, blinking as the candlelight flooded his vision. For a moment, he lay still, revelling in the comforting smell of the fire and the cozy warmth of the room.

“Time to go,” Tonks said gently, pressing a hand to his brow and brushing the fringe from his forehead. “I'll walk you out.”

“Mhm,” he agreed, swinging his legs from the sofa and gathering his wits before he stood up. Teddy was standing across the room holding his father's shoes. Remus crossed to his son and put on the boots before accepting a hug from the teenager.

“See you in the morning,” Remus said, holding the back of Teddy's head with his hand and giving the soft blue hair a gentle tussle. 

“Okay,” Teddy said. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

The boy watched from the back window as his parents walked through the twilight to the back shed where Remus transformed. While the wolfsbane made his father perfectly safe enough to remain indoors, Remus didn't like to risk anything when it came to the transformation so he spent his full moons curled up alone in the shed. 

Safely back out of the winter wind, Tonks kissed her husband and held him in a lingering hug as they stood in the tiny room. 

“I love Christmas with you,” she said, rubbing his back as they stayed in the embrace.  
“And I with you,” he replied, letting his head rest on her shoulder. “I'll see you in the morning. Have a good Christmas dinner with Teddy. There better still be some of Molly's biscuits left for me tomorrow.”

Tonks laughed and kissed his cheek.

“I promise.”

She gave him one last squeeze and left, shutting the shed door behind her. Remus sat down on the floor and waited. As he did, he pressed an eye to a crack in the wall and looked up at the warm glow of his house, feeling the same glow deep in his chest. Despite the ever-disruptive moon, it had been a happy Christmas after all.


End file.
